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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23902927">Glass Soul</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nontoxic_Markers/pseuds/Nontoxic_Markers'>Nontoxic_Markers</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hollow Knight (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>And hair, a small mention of vomiting, aand implied abuse!, just so yall know b4 you read!, theres alot of mention of flesh coming off</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:55:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,450</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23902927</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nontoxic_Markers/pseuds/Nontoxic_Markers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The tale of a vessel whose skin was too fragile.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Glass Soul</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ah yes a once small and insignificant drabble about one of my vessel OC's but everyone is a gijinka but it got too damn thick and I got too damn proud so WAHBAM! I'm certain OC fics don't get as much attention as cannon character deals do, but I insist you give this a chance! :}</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A wet slap was heard against the hard stone ground. The void-blood soaked hand of a small child slammed against the ground, as they hoisted themself out of the main chasm of the abyss, and into a small cave in the wall. A small, pale child sunk to the ground and instinctively gasped for air. Though without lungs, this was a fruitless endeavor. The child had paper white skin with silvery hair and pitch black eyes. A small dark grey robe was all they wore, and all over them were black stains of their essence splattered all over them. They nervously looked at their hands, only to find sheets of their own pale flesh effortlessly peeling off of their palms, revealing a soft and squishy blackness underneath.<br/>
Fear couldn't accurately describe how they felt. Fear was an understatement.<br/>
They looked back into the dark pit below the cave they now inhabited...<br/>
Hundreds... nay... possible thousands of corpses strewn about the floor. Some barely clinging to life.. or perhaps afterlife as they themself was. The pained and horrified expressions of the dead caused their nonexistent stomach to lurch. As if they were going to vomit, they coughed and gagged silently. They were the lucky one.. were they? The little shadow crawled through the narrow cave, they tried as best they could to squat on their feet rather than their knees, sometimes stumbling and scraping them. Luckily, not hard enough to make more of their skin scrape off. The cavern became narrower and narrower, it was harder to move but they could see the exit right in front of them. Right beside them however, the evidence that someone just like them just couldn't make it. The tattered remains of a cloak like theirs, a black stain in the rock, and the scattered remains of rotted and torn flesh and hair. The shadow let out a small and fragile cry, as they pushed themself through the caverns end, desperately trying to distance themself from the corpse of this nameless, faceless sibling. Their panicked cries turned to pained ones, as their sides scratched against the rocks in the caverns. They tumbled out and onto the ground in a strange and unfamiliar place built with a beige looking metal of sorts. The shadow rested their back against the wall as they tried to compose themself. They lifted up their cloak and saw two long black scratches on both of their sides. They sobbed gently and quietly.. no one could hear.. no one but themself, and the corpse of their fallen sibling. </p><p>A few minutes passed, before they sniffled and stood back up. They had to get out of here... this place was just as horrible as the place they just left. They needed somewhere they didn't feel this crippling fear.. this anxiety that clasped around their chest like a vice. It wouldn't let go.. not here.. they had to keep moving. Shakily and ever carefully they wandered the Ancient Basin, cold and alone and afraid. Nothing else had come to mind other than leaving. They had to leave. They couldn't be here. Nothing else mattered, just their safety.. just their life... they had to live.. they HAD to live. They were the lucky one of the litter, they refused to be a corpse left to rot until another sibling looked down at them.. disgusted and fearful, no they HAD to make it. These were the only thoughts they had, they refused to think about anything else, nothing else was relevant. They drove themself to madness, their fear engraving these thoughts in their mind. The shadow barely paid attention to where they were wandering during their silent fit. They looked up. An exit?? It looked to be so. Step.. step.... Footsteps!! They were getting closer.. they had to hide, had to live, hide, live. They ran behind a large pillar. It wouldn't have been a very effective hiding place had they been larger or fatter. A distressed and panicked man in pale white robes hastily made his way through the room of the basin. "Pale Lord.. this place.. it's growing so much worse without you here.. where are you??" The retainer murmured. The Shadow couldn't understand anything this man just said, but it wasn't important. They had to go. Once the retainer was surely gone, the shadow hopped up and climbed out of the basin. </p><p>It was a grueling task.. large pillars in a sea of ravenous bugs. They lept, pillar after pillar, smacking roughly against the tops of each one, losing more of their flesh as it scraped against the concrete. Through their mutilation however, they were on the other side. An elevator there to greet them. The shadow wearily stepped in.. and with a jump they slowly ascended. The chains were clearly very weak and seemed like they were going to break at any moment. Their mind began to flood with panic once more. No.. not after they made it this far... please please don't...<br/>
And just like that it was over, they were up. They darted out of the elevator and ran through a small hallway before leaping back under its cover. Great.. now there was something falling from the ceiling.. what in the nest?? They were paralyzed with fear.. this place was desolate.. not a person in sight, aside from large, armed guards with facemasks that patrolled the area in front of them. They.. didn't seem to be hurt by whatever was falling from the ceiling... maybe it was safe? They stretched out their arm with hesitation and felt the droplets of the citys mournful tears plip on their delicate arm. It was... ok. It was safe.. and even.. soothing. They stepped out.. feeling the rain on their glass body. It filled them with a feeling they'd never felt before... ease.. and serenity... what.. was this? "HEY!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING OUT HERE?!" their brief moment of ease was abruptly interrupted by the shouting of one of the large guards. Fear had returned to them quicker than it left and they bolted westward as fast as their small little legs could carry them. "HEY WAIT!!! YOU GOTTA GET INSIDE!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING??" the guard called to them. The shadow ran through the building that was behind them. Darting past a few noblemen and shoving them out of the way in the process. The exit in front of them was shut tight, a lever beside it. Well let's try it! As they ran they grabbed the lever and with all their might pulled it back, opening the door, much to the horror of the nobles inside. They screamed and cursed at the shadow, trying to grab them but they were too quick. The shadow escaped. But their freedom would be short lived, as various guards stood around them.<br/>
"Little girl you are NOT to be wandering about! You need to be inside or with a helmet or mask!!" One of the female guards exclaimed. The shadow couldn't understand them.. not at all. In truth though the guards stool like steel and spoke with iron this child was... unnerving. They were covered in some strange black substance.. their eyes an inky abyss and their skin and hair unnaturally white. What were they even dealing with?? Was this even a human?? "W..wait what..?" "Stand aside! This child is with me." The guards confused murmurs were interrupted by a loud commanding voice. It was a tall plump man with an odd cloak. The man knelt beside the shadow and extended his gloved hand. "Come now Pan.. let us return to school grounds yes?" The frightened vessel looked around.. their body trembling. The man noticed their fear and spoke once more. "Come on now." The shadow weakly took his hand, and at that point he stood up, back arched slightly to continue holding onto them. "Go on now guards.. I'll ensure this child does not escape once more." The man spoke, his indiscernible words sounding sinister to the young vessel, regardless, they obeyed. The two continued westward through the city, ascending through multiple elevators in total silence. The young shadow looked up at the man, who didn't look back down at them. They could see a strange orange glint in his eye.. it made them very uneasy. The two continued to walk on.. and into an elegant looking pale blue building. There were numerous jars filled with a strange white essence, books scattered across the floors.. the place was a mess. The vessel tried to release their hand from the man's hold, but he only held tighter, and the more they struggled the more panicked they felt. </p><p>"You.<br/>
You are what we need."</p>
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